Veterinary Technicians | What Do They Do?

Provide nursing care or emergency first aid to recovering or injured
animals

Administer anesthesia to animals and monitor their responses

Collect laboratory samples, such as blood, urine, or tissue, for
testing

Perform laboratory tests, such as urinalyses and blood counts

Take and develop x rays

Prepare animals and instruments for surgery

Administer medications, vaccines, and treatments prescribed by a
veterinarian

Collect and record patientsí case histories

To provide superior animal care, veterinarians rely on the skills of
veterinary technologists and technicians, who do many of the same tasks for
a veterinarian that nurses would for a doctor. Despite differences in formal
education and training, veterinary technologists and technicians carry out
many similar tasks.

Many veterinary technologists and technicians work in private clinics,
animal hospitals, and veterinary testing laboratories. They conduct a
variety of clinical and laboratory procedures, including postoperative care,
dental care, and specialized nursing care.

Veterinary technologists and technicians who work in research-related
jobs do similar work. For example, they are responsible for making sure that
animals are handled carefully and humanely. They commonly help veterinarians
or scientists on research projects in areas such as biomedical research,
disaster preparedness, and food safety.

Veterinary technologists and technicians most often work with
small-animal practitioners who care for cats and dogs, but they may also do
a variety of tasks with mice, rats, sheep, pigs, cattle, and birds.

Veterinary technologists and technicians can specialize in a particular
discipline. Specialties include dental technology, anesthesia, emergency and
critical care, and zoological medicine.

The differences between technologists and technicians are the following:

Veterinary technologists usually have a 4-year
bachelorís degree in veterinary technology. Although some technologists work
in private clinical practices, many work in more advanced research-related
jobs, usually under the guidance of a scientist and sometimes a
veterinarian. Working primarily in a laboratory setting, they may administer
medications; prepare tissue samples for examination; or record information
on an animalís genealogy, weight, diet, food intake, and signs of pain.

Veterinary technicians usually have a 2-year
associateís degree in a veterinary technology program. Most work in private
clinical practices under the guidance of a licensed veterinarian.
Technicians may perform laboratory tests, such as a urinalysis, and help
veterinarians conduct a variety of other diagnostic tests. Although some of
their work is done in a laboratory setting, many technicians also talk with
animal owners. They explain, for example, a petís condition or how to
administer medication prescribed by a veterinarian.